The keyboard is one of the most universal peripheral components for desktop and laptop computers, and yet it relies on the QWERTY system that dates back to the 1870's. It is arguably the most ancient part of the desktop and laptop computers in use today. The use of keyboards is ubiquitous with word processing, web browsing, multimedia streaming and gaming.
Many applications remap keys or key sequences to application-specific commands. For example, “Ctrl+n” creates a new document or opens a new window, depending on the context. The keyboard layout can be entirely remapped through software. The standard QWERTY layout is often associated with a US English key map, but many others exist. For example, some users switch to a DVORAK layout due to comfort, or use a language other than English on a QWERTY keyboard. Many applications allow the user to create time saving “macros”, but most users do not take advantage of them due to the high barrier of learning how to program the macros. Users often purchase more than one keyboard or controller, each one made for a specific purpose. For word processing, some users like to use a keyboard with a relatively light touch, but when gaming they prefer a mechanical keyboard with a heavier pressure. Many gaming applications only utilize about 8 keys, and the unused keys become obsolete during gameplay. Many users in the graphics and imaging fields execute thousands of mouse clicks per day to perform tasks that could be highly simplified with a more intelligent human-computer interface.
The current field of keystroke dynamics, as described in                M. Karnan, M. Akila, N. Krishnaraj, Biometric personal authentication using keystroke dynamics: A review, Applied Soft Computing, Vol. 11, Issue 2, March 2011, pages 1565-1573, ISSN 1568-4946, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2010.08.003, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pil/S156849461000205X,            and            Pin Shen Teh, Andrew Beng Jin Teoh, and Shigang Yue, “A Survey of Keystroke Dynamics Biometrics,” The Scientific World Journal, Vol. 2013, Article ID 408280, 24 pages, 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/408280,            utilizes behavioral biometric data from users, as described in            Fabian Monrose, Aviel D. Rubin, Keystroke dynamics as a biometric for authentication, Future Generation Computer Systems, Vol. 16, Issue 4, February 2000, pages 351-359, ISSN 0167-739X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0167-739X(99)00059-X, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pil/S0167739X9900059X,            in order to perform a variety of important functions, such as on-line user authentication, as described in            Bergadano, Francesco, Gunetti, Daniele, and Claudia Picardi, User authentication through keystroke dynamics, ACM Transactions on Information and System Security (TISSEC), Vol. 5, issue 4, November 2002, pages 367-397, New York, ACM, ISSN: 1094-9224 EISSN: 1557-7406 doi:10.1145/581271.581272.            Researchers are studying use of keystrokes to detect physical ailments such as arthritis and Parkinson's disease, http://www.nature.com/srep/2015/150409/srep09678/full/srep09678.html).
Keyboards commercially available today are limited in that they can only provide timing information, while it has been shown that use of additional sensors, such as pressure and acceleration, significantly improves the performance of a keystroke biometric system. The demand for additional sensors continues to grow as keystroke dynamics is incorporated into an increasing number of applications.
Prior art virtual keyboards project onto surfaces, and will never likely be a “preferred” keyboard for any user. Virtual keyboards have a futuristic appearance, and can be used in place of keyboards for short sessions, but for the “normal” or “heavy” computer user, the virtual keyboard lacks many features.
Conventional and virtual keyboards can output keystrokes (“all or none”) and timing data, but cannot measure pressure data, and lack the spatial resolution that allows, for example, estimation of finger size, limiting their use in advanced behavioral biometrics.